| Leamington, known as "The Tomato Capital of | | | | tomato harvest. Every third August weekend the |
| Canada" is a town in Essex County, Ontario. It | | | | festival brings the community together. |
| boasts a population just above 31 000. It is very | | | | The festival includes a golf tournament, a town |
| close to Point Pelee which is the southern most | | | | wide talent show, a pageant, wine tasting, food |
| point of mainland Canada. | | | | vendors and a parade. There is also a custom car |
| Leamington is found at the same latitude as cities | | | | show and the "World Famous Tomato Stomp". |
| like Chicago and Rome. This southern position | | | | Finally what would a community festival be like |
| gives Leamington the highest average seasonal | | | | without a beer tent? |
| temperature anywhere in Canada outside of | | | | 3. Pelee Island Winery: Slightly South of |
| British Colombia's lower mainland. | | | | Leamington, Pelee Island is 10, 000 acres of |
| The town is a popular tourist destination and with | | | | vineyards, beaches, forestry and parks. It is so |
| attractions like these it is no surprise: | | | | far south, that over half of America's 50 states |
| 1. Point Pelee National Park: Located just south of | | | | are north of Pelee island. The island is home to |
| the town is this popular national park. This park | | | | some of the rarest flora in all of Canada. Plants |
| consists of a peninsula of marsh and woodland | | | | like sassafras, honey locust and prickly pear |
| that tapers to a sharp point into Lake Erie. That | | | | cactus dot the idyllic island. There are many |
| point is Canada's southernmost tip (on the | | | | nature related activities to enjoy - you can hike, |
| mainland). Middle Island, which is just off the point | | | | fish or even visit the ruins of Canada's first |
| is also part of the National Park. | | | | commercial winery. |
| The unique geography isn't the only selling point | | | | Wine is the big draw though. Pelee Island wine is |
| for the park though. It is also in the middle of a | | | | becoming world renown, winning Gold and Silver |
| bird and butterfly migration corridor. Over 390 | | | | medals at events like The International Eastern |
| varieties of birds have been spotted in the park. | | | | Wine Competition, International Wine and Spirit |
| The peninsula is often the last stop for birds and | | | | Competition and International Wine Challenge. The |
| butterflies who head south across Lake Erie during | | | | island hosts winery tours 7 days a week. The |
| their southern migration. Each year the park plays | | | | tour starts with a short wine making video, a |
| host to large amounts of increasingly rare | | | | walk through the heart of the vineyards and of |
| monarch butterflies. | | | | course a wine tasting and barbeque lunch. |
| 2. Tomatofest: Leamington fondly refers to itself | | | | Leamington is Canada's southern jewel. It is a |
| as "The Tomato Capital of Canada". It makes this | | | | scenic town surrounded by some of the best |
| claim quite legitimately since there is no less than | | | | agricultural land in the country. The area can be |
| 4 square km's of tomato crops in it's vicinity. It is | | | | summed up as the land of the vine, as the |
| also home to a Heniz factory - you can not get | | | | surrounding areas produce some of the best |
| much more tomato than that. | | | | tomatoes and wine in all of Canada. |
| Every mid to late August the town succumbs to | | | | Check out Leamington - enjoy the beautiful |
| tomato madness. The fields are full, the | | | | shores of Lake Erie, warm seasonal weather and |
| processing plants are firing on all cylinders and | | | | maybe tip back a glass of wine on Pelee island, or |
| there are truck loads of tomatoes rolling through | | | | a cold Sleemans at the Tomato Festival's beer |
| town daily. Along with all of this comes | | | | tent. |
| Tomatofest - the annual celebration of the | | | | |